1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a method for controlling the information processing apparatus, a recording medium, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information processing apparatuses for sharing data stored in a storage device with other information processing apparatuses via a network have been proposed (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-204031).
To increase the security level, some of such information processing apparatuses may request the other information processing apparatuses to send a password when being accessed by the other information processing apparatuses.
Information processing apparatuses having a biometric authentication function for performing authentication using a biometric authentication device have also been proposed.
However, an authentication function of each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to a network may differ from one another.
For example, one information processing apparatus has a biometric authentication function, whereas another information processing apparatus does not have the biometric authentication function.
In such a case, the information processing apparatus having the biometric authentication function may include a biometric information input device for use in biometric authentication, whereas the information processing apparatus not having the biometric authentication function may not include the biometric information input device. When the authentication function differs among information processing apparatuses, following disadvantages occur. When an information processing apparatus accesses another information processing apparatus having a biometric authentication function, the information processing apparatus may be requested to send biometric information by the other information processing apparatus. In such a case, since the accessing information processing apparatus does not have an input device of the requested biometric information, the accessing information processing apparatus may not acquire the biometric information.
Accordingly, when the information processing apparatus having the biometric information input device is accessed by the other information processing apparatus not having the biometric authentication device, the information processing apparatus having the biometric information input device may permit the access without authentication. However, in such a case, the security level decreases.
On the other hand, if the information processing apparatus having the biometric information input device prohibits access from the information processing apparatus not having the biometric information input device without exception, the convenience decreases.